Timeline of the health care law

From Emily Smith, CNN

Updated 10:42 AM ET, Thu June 28, 2012

The Supreme Court is set to rule on the constitutionality of the controversial health care law passed in 2010.

The U.S. Supreme Court Thursday upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, the health care law that President Obama signed in March 2010. Here's a look at key moments in the law's history:

February 24, 2009 -- In a joint session to Congress, President Obama says: "So let there be no doubt: Health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year."

March 5, 2009 -- The Obama White House holds its first health care summit.

April 21, 2009 -- Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley hold the first of three roundtables of health policy and industry experts to discuss the development of health care legislation.

July 15, 2009 -- The Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passes The Affordable Health Choices Act. The bipartisan bill includes more than 160 Republican amendments accepted during the month-long mark-up, one of the longest in congressional history.

July 31, 2009 -- The bill is reported out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce by a vote of 31 to 28.

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August 15, 2009 -- During the August recess, Obama travels in support of the bill. Tea Party members and conservatives lash out against the bill at town halls. Obama battles a false rumor that the legislation includes "death panels" that could decide whether people live or die.

March 21, 2010 -- The Senate passes its version of the bill, sending the legislation to Obama for his signature. A separate package of changes expanding the reach of the measure also passed the House over unanimous GOP opposition, and will be taken up by the Senate.

With his opinion for a narrow majority of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has, for the first time since his confirmation as chief justice in 2005, breached the gap between the conservative and liberal wings of the court on a polarizing political issue.

In a landmark ruling that will impact the November election and the lives of every American, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the controversial health care law championed by President Barack Obama.

The court's opinion, in preserving the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, under Congress' taxing power, still gives a virtually unlimited sway to the power of the federal government, Stephen Presser writes.

The Supreme Court is set to rule on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Thursday. The landmark decision will dictate the way health care is administered to millions of Americans.